HANDWORK 2026

Newcomb Art Museum of Tulane is proud to be a featured participant in Handwork: Celebrating American Craft 2026 — a nationwide semiquincentennial initiative to showcase the importance of the handmade both throughout our history and in contemporary life. Presented by Craft in America, Handwork 2026 is a year-long collaboration among organizations, educators, and makers to celebrate the diversity of the crafts that define America, bringing compelling stories and underrepresented art and artists into the spotlight. Opening at the Newcomb Art Museum in August, "Quiet Reserve: Stitching an Ambitious New Woman" will examine embroidery’s role as a professional and artistic practice at H. Sophie Newcomb Memorial College in the early twentieth century. The college’s needlework curriculum encouraged students to see embroidery as both creative expression and viable career training, reshaping ideas about women’s labor and independence in the U.S. South. Featuring textiles, sketches, and tools, "Quiet Reserve" showcases Newcomb’s emphasis on raw materials, precise stitching, and vibrant Tussah silk threads. The exhibition offers a vivid look at the artistry, technique, and innovation that shaped Newcomb embroidery. More than 250 organizations nationwide have joined this initiative, each contributing exhibitions and events that showcase the depth and diversity of American craft. Visit to learn more. @handwork2026 @craftinamerica #craft250 #handwork2026 #craftinamerica #newcomb #newcombcollege #newcombpottery Images: Four Newcomb College students working on embroidery and pottery, undated. Newcomb Wall Hanging, c. 1905–1915, Helen DeGrange McLellan, silk embroidery on linen, 57” x 39”, The Historic New Orleans Collection, 2017.0080.75.

Museums reminiscing on skateboards is currently in the Zeitgeist. Right here in SoCal, visitors can learn about the different modes of expression inherent in skate culture at both the Craft in America Center in Los Angeles, and Muzeo Museum and Cultural Center in Anaheim. Muzeo’s exhibition “Concrete Wave: Vans at 60 and The Birth of Anaheim’s Skateboard Culture” celebrates Vans’ 60th anniversary as the gateway to exploring Anaheim’s pivotal role in skateboarding, youth culture, and creative rebellion. Craft in America’s “Vehicles of Expression: The Craft of the Skateboard” traces the crafting of the skateboard from its scrappy, homemade beginnings through its innovations in fabrication and sportiness, to its myriad avenues of expressive potential, performative and conceptual. One of the daring conceptual pieces even includes a pair of Vans! “Vehicles of Expression” is part of Handwork 2026 and runs through May 30, 2026 at the Craft in America Center in Los Angeles, CA. “Concrete Wave” runs through July 12 at the Muzeo Museum and Cultural Center in Anaheim, CA. #contemporarycraft #americancraft #skateboards #handmadeskateboard #skateboarding #muzeo #museum #anaheim #vans @handwork2026

Weiting Wei draws inspiration from the natural forms of organisms and integrates them into sculptures crafted from polymer clay. ⁠ ⁠ “My identity as a mother and artist is intertwined. I use processes similar to domestic life to create familiarity with materials, allowing me to engage with their subtleties and respond to their movements. Through creating these forms, I find peace and relief from anxiety and tension, experiencing moments of flow that soothe my emotions. By inviting viewers to look closely and study the details contained within its surfaces, my artwork encourages deeper contemplation of the intricacies and beauty of the domestic sphere.”⁠ ⁠ @weitingwei 's work is included in @ohiodesignercraftsmen ’s annual member exhibition, “Best of 2026.” The exhibition is part of @handwork2026 (presented by @craftinamerica ) and runs through July 3rd at the Ohio Craft Museum in Columbus, OH. Learn more at the link in our bio!⁠ ⁠ #Handwork2026 #OhioCraft #PolymerClay #ClaySculpture #Craft250

Chasing the desire to truly surf the streets, Neil Carver began exploring new truck designs that could recreate the feeling of riding a wave. Beginning in 1996, he fabricated welded steel prototype trucks to test new geometries, improving performance with each iteration. Once the trucks were perfected and in commercial circulation, they found a dedicated user and fan in legendary skater Stacy Peralta, who painted “portraits” of the trucks. The two eventually met and formed a friendship. Peralta’s paintings, Carver’s prototypes, plus his newer skateboard variations, are currently on display at the Center, along with more recent skateboard fabrication innovations by Ryan Lander of Lander LA, who makes perforated boards molded in plastic derived from recycled fishing nets. “Vehicles of Expression” is part of Handwork 2026 and runs through May 30, 2026 at the Craft in America Center in Los Angeles, CA. @carverskate @perlatastacy @lander.la @handwork2026 #contemporarycraft #americancraft #craftinamerica #craftinamericapbs #skateboards #handmadeskateboard #skateboarding

During a six-week residency in the metal studio at Starworks in Star, North Carolina, artist and metalworker Elsa Hoffman developed new works of sculptural furniture in direct response to the space, its materials, and the surrounding region. “My work begins from a kind of searching, feeling for something real, something meaty. My surroundings are my source material. The natural and architectural patterns and details of North Carolina shape my forms and designs. Inspired by the ancient craft of terrazzo, I gather and repurpose aggregates—brick, stone, and other fragments—to embed within my concrete work. These scraps of materials, mined from local building projects, scavenged along the coastline, and salvaged from a beloved property being sold, are fragmented mementos. They tell tales and preserve a subtle storyline of place and relationship. By creating objects for rest from steel, concrete, and rubble, I explore how furniture can embody both repose and restlessness, ornament and decay. What emerges are not just places to sit, but objects that hold memory and tension; grounded in their surroundings, materially honest, and unmistakably alive.” “Restless Nature,” a solo exhibition of sculptural furniture by @elsa.hoffman , is on view May 16–June 6, 2026. Learn more at the link in our bio. Starworks is proud to present this exhibition as part of @handwork2026 , a year-long initiative by @craftinamerica highlighting the importance of the handmade in both historical and contemporary life. #StarworksNC #ElsaHoffman #Metalwork #Handwork2026 #Craft250

May 2nd was #PrintDayInMay. In these clips from @craftinamerica , Alison Saar and Tom Killion share what they enjoy about the practice of printmaking. There are many #Handwork2026 participants that teach printmaking or host workshops. Whether you’d like to learn screen printing on fabric, or want to hone your craft in the art of woodcut, our nationwide selection of participating organizations have the printmaking activity for you! Mark your calendars for the highlighted events below and find the full list of printmaking workshops and other events at the link in our bio. ♦️ Introduction to Screen Printing with Bill Mitchell, on May 16 @leagueofnhcraftsmen 🔹 Intro to Woodcut Printmaking Workshop with Nan Onkka, on June 13 @amswedinstitute Images/video shown here, in order of appearance: Alison Saar featured in bonus footage from @craftinamerica ’s INSPIRATION episode, Tom Killion in the PROCESS episode; Handwork 2026 participants: Mississippi State University Department of Art (@caadatmsu ), the League of NH Craftsmen (@leagueofnhcraftsmen ), Lawrence Arts Center (@lawrenceartscenter ), and Brookfield Craft Center (@brookfieldcraftcenter ). #Handmade #Printmaking #CraftInAmerica

We are proud to announce ‘Handwork: Handcrafted Objects That Made America,’ the official book of #Handwork2026. Presented by @craftinamerica , this timely volume paints a compelling portrait of American culture through an extraordinary range of handmade objects. From a 19th-century Kiowa cradleboard and a silver bowl made by Paul Revere to a tin-paneled food storage unit called a pie safe, these objects reflect innovation, resistance, artistry, and community — and were all crafted by hand. ‘Handwork’ will be available worldwide on July 29. Pre-order now via link in bio.

At Tennessee Craft, we value the authenticity of handcrafted work and we strive to celebrate, preserve, and promote high-quality handmade art in Tennessee. We take pride in Tennessee’s craft heritage. Since 1965, we’ve offered multiple stages for today’s makers to let their one-of-a-kind work shine at local spring and fall Craft Fairs, Biennial Exhibitions, community demonstrations, professional development workshops, and more. For our Best of Tennessee Craft: 2026 Biennial, @tennesseecraft will continue the tradition, showcasing a selection of up to 75 artworks highlighting a range of mediums including basketry, clay, glass, metal, mixed media, printmaking, sculpture & more, hosted by the Art Museum of the University of Memphis—on view October 24 through December 12, 2026. Tennessee Craft is a participant in @handwork2026 , @craftinamerica ’s year-long initiative to showcase the importance of the handmade both throughout our history and in contemporary life. #Handwork2026 #TennesseeCraft #Ceramics #Woodworking #ContemporaryCraft

Here’s how @lowellsboatshop gets the perfect fit between the stem and keel of this traditional 38’ sailing and rowing boat, now under construction. The Shop has been continuously building boats since 1793, and this latest build just might be their biggest ever. The boat will be used by Atlantic Challenge USA, a nonprofit organization that empowers young people and adults across generations through hands-on maritime experiences that promote mental resilience, physical confidence, and compassionate leadership. Lowell’s Boat Shop is a participant in @handwork2026 , @craftinamerica ’s year-long initiative to celebrate the diversity of the crafts that define America. Visit Lowell’s Boat Shop’s page on handwork2026.org for more information and subscribe to their YouTube channel for monthly updates on all their boatbuilding projects—links in our bio! #BoatBuilding #NationalWoodworkingMonth #Handwork2026 #CraftinAmerica #Craft250

In this @craftinamerica video, Arkansas-based wood sculptor and collector @robynhornart and blacksmith Tom Joyce talk about working with the natural aspects of wood. Robyn and John Horn built their art collection on personal artistic inspiration and a devoted relationship to craft. This summer, #Handwork2026 participant, Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts presents “Material Nature: The Robyn and John Horn Collection.” The exhibition, on view from August 22 through Apr 25, 2027, will showcase works by skilled artists who explore an innovative approach to traditional materials. This selection of the Horn collection demonstrates the passion for making, collecting, and living with art. Video from @craftinamerica —bonus footage from the MEMORY episode of Tom Joyce & Robyn Horn about working in wood. Works by Robyn Horn: Pierced Geode; Already Set in Motion. Courtesy of Robyn Horn. | Three still images at the end from @arkmfa : Michael Peterson, Arbutus, 2004. Chainsawn, sandblasted, bleached, and pigmented madrone burl; 10 × 17 × 17 in. Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts Foundation Collection: Purchased with a gift from John and Robyn Horn. Photography by Jason Masters | David Nash, Crack & Warp Column, 2003. Chainsaw-carved white oak; 33 1/4 × 11 1/4 × 11 1/4 in. Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts Foundation Collection: Purchased with a gift from John and Robyn Horn. Photography by Edward C. Robison III | Todd Hoyer, Untitled (Suspended Series), 2021. Mexican blue oak and steel; 20 3/4 × 9 × 9 in. Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts Foundation Collection: Purchased with a gift from John and Robyn Horn. Photography by Edward C. Robison III. #NationalWoodworkingMonth #WoodWorking #Handmade

Wet felting wool is a full-body, tactile experience. From the gentle laying down of fibers in the beginning to the rolling and agitation (and sometimes slamming!) in the end, the process enacts every part of the maker's being. Holly Guertin has been working in wool for over fifteen years, and will show her debut solo exhibition this summer with Waterworks Visual Arts Center in her hometown of Salisbury, NC. "I embrace both form and matter, material and intellect, body and soul to experience them together as a dynamic, unified human experience. In viewing the world as a gift to be received, the human person is tasked with respect and reverence for its abundance. Through this reverence, I utilize deeply-rooted symbols of relationships to contemplate the role of repetition and labor." Guertin's solo exhibition, entitled Hand in Hand, will be on display at @waterworksnc from July 6 to October 10, 2026, and is part of @Handwork2026 presented by @craftinamerica . Visit hollyguertin.com and waterworks.org for more information. Process photos by @eriningraffiaphotography . #FiberArt #Handwork2026 #ContemporaryCraft #WoolFelt #Sheep

“Vehicles of Expression” examines the crafting of skateboards; it is a perfect example of play meeting innovation. Magic tricks and Persian marquetry are just a couple of the widely varied approaches the artists have taken in creating boards that amplify expressions, both personal and social. Check out our upcoming events: April 18: In-person and online talk on the evolution and crafting of skateparks in the 70s by UCLA lecturer Lorne Platt April 30: Online round table with artists in the exhibition: Abe Dubin, Alice Hixon Kirk and Joe Ledoux. Links in bio. “Vehicles of Expression” is part of Handwork 2026 and runs through May 30, 2026 at the Craft in America Center in Los Angeles, CA. @handwork2026 #contemporarycraft #americancraft #craftinamerica #craftinamericapbs #skateboards #handmadeskateboard #ThingsToDoInLA